D&D 4E Iconic Settings of different editions (and why 4E needs one)

[Mercurius]

It seems that every edition of D&D has had an iconic setting - a campaign world that highlights and exemplifies the specifics of the system, in a sense saying "This is what we had in mind." Yet instead of just one iconic setting, I would argue that most editions have two: a formative setting that outlines the general gist and atmosphere of that edition as a starting point, and a climactic setting that arises at the edition's peak and pushes the boundaries and explores the possibilities.

OD&D
Formative - Blackmoor.
Climactic - Greyhawk.

This is stretching it a bit as I'm not sure that you could say that Blackmoor was more formative to OD&D than Greyhawk, but afaik the first true RPG sessions were run by Dave Arneson in Blackmoor, although it was Greyhawk that really took off as the iconic early D&D setting and set the stage for 1E AD&D. Blackmoor instead went down the other road and became part of the BECMI line.

BECMI
Formative - The Known World (early Mystara).
Climactic - Mystara (the entire world).

I was never a big player of BECMI, so my understanding of Mystara is limited. But afaik, it was the only setting for BECMI and it started as a vague "Known World" implied setting, sort of like Nentir Vale for 4E, and developed over time into the world of Mystara, complete with the Hollow World, and incorporating Blackmoor in its past.

AD&D 1E
Formative - Greyhawk
Climactic - Dragonlance

This is pretty clear. Greyhawk was the dominant, early setting for AD&D, in many ways the Old School D&D setting in which most of the classic adventures are set. Things changed quite substantially in 1984 with the publication of Dragonlance, and the emphasis shifted from sandbox to metaplot. Dragonlance paved the way for all later campaign settings, especially the "flowering" of 2E.

AD&D 2E
Formative - Forgotten Realms
Climactic - Planescape

2E had many settings, although the most iconic was probably the Forgotten Realms, which technically started during the late years of 1E (the grey box was published 1987) but really exploded with 2E. Then you have highly experimental settings like Spelljammer, Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Birthright, but the true climactic setting was Planescape, which could be seen as a cap-setting for all other settings.

D&D 3E
Formative - Forgotten Realms
Climactic - Eberron

While 3E used Greyhawk as its default setting, it was the Forgotten Realms that really formed its base. Eberron was the only truly official new setting and brought in elements newish to D&D such as steampunk.

D&D 4E
Formative - Nentir Vale
Climactic - ?

The closest thing to a formative setting is the Nentir Vale region, much in the same way that the Known World was formative to BECMI, as I said earlier. You could also say that the formative setting isn't Nentir Vale, but "points of light" as a theme.

Now it looks like WotC is going to develop the Nentir Vale, at least to some degree. But it remains to be seen what its climactic setting will be. I wouldn't call any of the three official settings released so far--the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, or Dark Sun--as either formative or climactic. They are all re-hashing what has come before and none either create the foundation of 4E or explore its possibilities.

Of course to get to a place where a truly climactic setting can arise from 4E, WotC first needs to establish a stronger foundational, formative base. So we will likely see further explication of the Nentir Vale and the new planes structure - with two Nentir Vale products and the Shadowfell box set already planned - but it will likely be 2012 or 2013 before we see what could be called the climactic setting of 4E.

 

[aco175]

Good thoughts.

I'm not sure either what would make a climatic setting for 4e, it seems that you are on to something with them rehashing older settings and not establishing something that sets the edition apart. Maybe most of the grand ideas are taken. Should they (Wizards) have another setting search for 4e. Maybe they need to go backwards to more of a basic feel like from old days. I like the points of light idea, but could use more to work with if I do not want to design my whole world.

I would be in favor if they took one of the old worlds and take it to the points of light idea. Maybe this would have to change some of the cannon that is established already, or you can just incorporate it and move on. I would buy a Greyhawk setting where the idea of using the 4e model was placed over it.

 

[Tony Vargas]

So, no credence at all to the 'Points of Light' concept that the Nentir Vale was supposed to be part of?

 

[Mercurius]

Well I think they tried to do that with the Forgotten Realms but got a generally negative reception. I would rather see them start afresh with a new setting; not only are most of the old settings tapped out, but their diehard fans don't take kindly to change. But I think the point is creating something new - each edition offered a new setting, and really a new type of setting, a new brand of fantasy if you will.

The 4E climactic setting would start with all of the classic D&D elements and emphasize what is new with 4E, which is a kind of ultra-fantasy approach with a 21st century aesthetic - you know, stuff like floating islands, bottomless pits, powerful magics, etc. I'm not a big fan of dragonborn or tieflings, but if they are core to the game then you have to highlight them. What would a classic D&D setting look like with all of the 4Eisms added in, and with a new twist? The closest thing I can think of to what a 4E climactic setting would look like would be something like Earthdawn with more outrageously fantastic elements.

And yes, I think a setting search would be a good idea. Eberron was a success, so why not try again?

 

[Mercurius]

So, no credence at all to the 'Points of Light' concept that the Nentir Vale was supposed to be part of?

Points of light is the concept while the Nentir Vale is the default, example setting. This is why I call Nentir Vale the formative setting, but it is only the formative phase, not the climactic phase. The two could be one setting or they could be separate; if WotC fills out the world beyond Nentir Vale it certainly could be the climactic setting.

My own 4E homebrew serves as an example of how WotC could approach a "points of light" world. It is about a thousand years after an apocalypse that destroyed a global civilization of high magic. Over the last two to three hundred years different pockets of civilization have formed in different parts of the world, and they are only just starting to re-connect, but without much knowledge of the true history of the world.

My group is nearing the end of Heroic tier, and also nearing the end of focus on their region and "small scale" adventuring. As they move further into Paragon tier they will start to get a larger picture of the world. As they enter Epic they will be able to have a say in how civilization unfolds, and perhaps how these different re-connecting regions will interact.

WotC could take a similar route by explicating the points of light concept through providing multiple regions other than the Nentir Vale, that could be used as part of one world or separately. Heroic tier would be focused on Nentir Vale; Paragon tier opens it up to a wider circumference with multiple regions available for exploration; Epic tier takes it to a world stage.

It doesn't really matter what specific approach they take, but I think it should explore/exploit the points of light concept in some way. Maybe they can start a setting contest with the one requirement of "Create a setting for 4E that uses the points of light concept, and provide explanations for different tiers of play."

Hey, maybe we could start our own setting contest at EN World?